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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. toast — bread
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spring — a coil
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spring — of water
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. tube — the underground
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rest — a break
  16. spring — the season
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. march — music
  19. tube — a container
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. march — the month
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com